Green roofing substrate brick and method of installing same

Abstract

A green roofing substrate brick comprises a water-permeable fabric box having an open top, and a solidified and non-compressed substrate in the box. The substrate comprises a water storage and drainage medium, and a binder solidifying the water storage and drainage medium.

1 . A green roofing substrate brick comprising:
 a) a water-permeable box having an open top; and   b) a solidified and non-compressed substrate in the box, the substrate comprising a water storage and drainage medium, and a binder solidifying the water storage and drainage medium.   
     
     
         2 . The green roofing substrate brick of  claim 1 , wherein the water storage and drainage medium comprises a mixture of an aggregate water storage medium, an organic water storage medium, and a drainage medium. 
     
     
         3 .- 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The green roofing substrate brick of  claim 2 , wherein the water storage and drainage medium comprises between about 60 vol. % and 70 vol. % aggregate water storage medium, between about 25 vol. % and about 35 vol. % organic water storage medium, and up to about 10 vol. % drainage medium. 
     
     
         9 .- 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The green roofing substrate brick of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is non-pre-vegetated. 
     
     
         14 . The green roofing substrate brick of  claim 1 , further comprising a drainage layer secured to a bottom wall of the water-permeable box. 
     
     
         15 . The green roofing substrate brick of  claim 14 , wherein the drainage layer comprises a water permeable dimpled membrane. 
     
     
         16 . The green roofing substrate brick of  claim 15 , wherein the dimpled membrane is perforated to provide water permeability. 
     
     
         17 . The green roofing substrate brick of  claim 15 , wherein the dimpled membrane comprises a generally planar upper surface secured to the bottom wall, and a plurality of dimples extending downwardly from the upper surface. 
     
     
         18 . The green roofing substrate brick of  claim 14 , wherein the box has a box footprint, and the drainage layer has a drainage layer footprint that is larger than the box footprint, to define on the drainage layer a central portion secured to the bottom wall of the box, and a lap portion extending beyond the bottom wall of the box. 
     
     
         19 . The green roofing substrate brick of  claim 18 , wherein the dimples of the central portion are configured to nest within the dimples of the lap portion of an adjacent green roofing substrate brick, to connect the green roofing substrate brick to the adjacent green roofing substrate brick. 
     
     
         20 . The green roofing substrate brick of  claim 19 , further comprising a fastener extending through at least one of the dimples of the lap portion, for securing the green roofing substrate brick to the adjacent green roofing substrate brick. 
     
     
         21 . The green roofing substrate brick of  claim 1 , further comprising a water retaining layer inside the box beneath the substrate. 
     
     
         22 . A method for making a green roofing substrate brick, the method comprising:
 a) filling a water-permeable box with a water storage and drainage medium; and   b) solidifying the water storage and drainage medium with a binder.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein prior to step a) the method comprises combining the water storage and drainage medium with the binder. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein combining the water storage and drainage medium with a binder comprises moistening the water storage and drainage medium, and adding the binder in a powdered form to the moistened water storage and drainage medium. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein combining the water storage and drainage medium with a binder comprises adding the binder in aqueous form to the water storage and drainage medium. 
     
     
         26 . The method of any  claim 22 , wherein the water storage and drainage medium comprises a mixture of an aggregate water storage medium, an organic water storage medium, and a drainage medium. 
     
     
         27 .- 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A green roofing substrate brick comprising:
 a) a water-permeable box; and   b) a substrate in the box, the substrate comprising
 i) an aggregate water storage medium; 
 ii) an organic water storage medium; 
 iii) a drainage medium; and 
 iv) a binder binding the aggregate water storage medium, 
   organic water storage medium, and drainage medium.   
     
     
         31 .- 37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . A green roofing substrate brick comprising:
 a) a water-permeable box having a bottom wall and an open top opposed to the bottom wall;   b) a substrate in the box, the substrate comprising a water storage and drainage medium; and   c) a drainage layer secured to the bottom wall, the drainage layer comprising a water permeable dimpled membrane.   
     
     
         39 .- 44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . A green roofing substrate brick comprising:
 a) a water-permeable box having a bottom wall and an open top opposed to the bottom wall;   b) a substrate in the box, the substrate comprising a water storage and drainage medium; and   c) a connector secured to the box for connecting the box of the green roofing substrate brick to a box of an adjacent green roofing substrate brick.   
     
     
         46 .- 50 . (canceled) 
     
     
         51 . A kit of parts for a green roofing installation, the kit of parts comprising:
 a) a plurality of the green roofing substrate bricks of  claim 1  wherein the green roofing substrate bricks are non-prevegetated; and   b) a pre-vegetated mat for laying over the green roofing substrate bricks.   
     
     
         52 . A method for installing a green roof comprising:
 a) laying a plurality of the green roofing substrate bricks of  claim 1  on a roof, wherein the green roofing substrate bricks are non-prevegetated; and   b) laying a pre-vegetated mat over the green roofing substrate bricks.